Nicnevin's Knight
by aberrans
Summary: Roiben/Nephamael/Nicnevin - Roiben has been sent to the Unseelie Court by Silarial and Nicnevin is enjoying toying with him. Slash
1. Chapter 1

Nicnevin was pleased with her new knight. It gave her more pleasure than she cared to admit to see him suffering as she slowly plucked him of his dignity. He flinched at every scream, his heart sank at every desperate plea for mercy, and still she commanded him to be more terrible in her name. The look in his eyes was incentive enough. She watched him become guarded, his manner grew more calculated each day, but she still saw the hatred burning in his eyes. Yes, Nicnevin was pleased with her new knight.

Roiben entered into the great chamber of the Night Court and knelt before her.

"I have completed the task you set me, my Lady."

"Roiben," a slow smile spread over her lips but her eyes conveyed nothing. "We were not expecting you for some time. Have you dealt with the matter so quickly? Your brutality is becoming most efficient."

"Perhaps you would prefer it slower?" He challenged.

"Not at all," she said, her voice full of amusement. "We can always find more tasks for your attention, should you tire of your other duties so quickly."

Roiben said nothing and let Nicnevin have her small victory over him. She knew that he would drag his feet to avoid more spilled blood, and he knew that she would toy with him before forcing his hand.

"You are in good time," she continued, "your counterpart has returned with a message from Silarial."

Nephamael was standing behind Nicnevin in the spot that Roiben was supposed to occupy. With a wave of her hand Roiben rose and improvised, standing instead on her left. Nephamael took a step forward and addressed Nicnevin without bowing to her.

"My Lady," his smile was cruel at best. "Silarial wishes to extend her gratitude in your joint efforts to make peace between the Bright and the Night Courts."

He paused.

"Yes?" Her impatience made the room suddenly cold.

Nephamael moved in closer, towering above Nicnevin on her throne. In a flash her eyes seemed dangerous but then it was gone.

"She extends more pleasantries and pointless posturing but I believe her motive is focused on your new knight." Roiben's stomach leapt at the thought of his Queen's interest in his wellbeing. "I would wager she thinks he might make a useful spy."

Roiben couldn't see Nicnevin's face but her sharp burst of laughter told him just how impossible she thought that was.

"Roiben," he stepped forward until he mirrored Nephamael. "Does it please you to think that your Lady still requires your services?"

A faerie cannot speak an untruth.

"Yes."

The chamber erupted into wild laughter, Nicnevin's eyes grew fierce and wild.

"Would you do anything for your old queen?"

"I am bound to your service now."

Nicnevin's lips curled. "And this pleases me almost as much as your attempts to bend the truth," she turned to address Nephamael, "but I am growing tired of word games. Tell me Nephamael, how do the subjects of the Bright Court amuse themselves?"

"They gorge themselves on cakes and fruit, braid flowers into stolen children's hair and dance like fools." His tongue snaked out of his mouth to lick his lips. "And they indulge themselves in physical pleasures."

"Such dull activities. You have grown used to them?"

"Oh yes, though there is barely enough screaming to make anything worthwhile…"

Roiben had heard about Nephamael's unusual tastes. It was not uncommon among the fey to choose male lovers, or uncommon among the subjects of the Night Court to torture for fun; but Nephamael enjoyed them both at once. He had experienced the other mans advances personally and felt a cold dread as he remembered Nephamael's hand on the small of his back, just months before when he had been on his knees keeping Nicnevin's wine steady on his back.

"Maybe that is what is lacking from my court. Roiben!"

Jolting out of his thoughts he was sure Nicnevin had noticed his flinch but she made nothing of it. She stood from her throne and moved impossibly close to him.

"You are a competent knight," she smirked, "and prettier than some it is true. Let us see if you can entertain me in the ways of the Seelie Court. Dance."

Roiben looked at her for a moment unsure of what to do before he placed his hand on her waist and held her other hand in his. To the tune of his own mind he slowly began to dance with her, spinning them this way and that. Being this impossibly close to Nicnevin he could see every twitch of her lips. She leant back as Roiben span her and he caught her gracefully, tilting her gently before pulling her body back against his.

"A skilled performance!" Nephamael beamed at them.

"Most entertaining." Nicnevin breathed against Roiben's ear. He felt a shiver down his spine but remained perfectly still, holding her in his arms. "Perhaps you would like to try him, Nephamael?"

The other mans eyes sparkled as he made his way towards Roiben. He offered his hand as a gentleman might to cut in with a lady, and after a sharp look from Nicnevin he accepted. Nephamael pulled him unexpectedly hard so that Roiben fell against him, unable to keep his balance. Nephamael's arm encircled his waist and he took his hand, moving them slowly and deliberately across the stone floor.

Roiben could feel Nephamael's muscles against his stomach and chest and tried to fix his gaze on the far corner of the room. He would not give Nephamael or Nicnevin the pleasure of seeing his discomfort. Roiben had always enjoyed dancing in the Seelie Court, but he had suddenly lost his passion for it.

Just as Nephamael was leaning into Roiben's chest and pressing their cheeks together with a sly grin, Nicnevin cut in. Roiben twisted her arm above her head to make her spin and he thought for a moment he saw a flash of laughter in her eyes.

Suddenly she stopped them in the middle of the floor, her features had turned cold with anger. She reached for the back of his head and balling his dark silky hair in her hand she pulled him forward with a jerk and bit into his bottom lip with her teeth, just hard enough to make him bleed. He resisted the urge to fight back but couldn't stop a sharp intake of breath as she pulled away. She stared at him and licked the blood from her lips and teeth. He was sure that her eyes had turned dark red.

Nephamael looked from Nicnevin to Roiben with a lustful expression. Nicnevin turned to him, her voice heavy with anger. Roiben stood perfectly still and let the blood flow from his lip. She had not intended to enjoy herself and was punishing him for it.

"Would you like to indulge?" She offered Nephamael, truly smiling for the first time Roiben had ever seen. His stomach felt like iron, burning him from the inside out like fiery dread; he knew just how Nephamael liked to indulge himself. The other man moved towards him like a predator.

"Thank you my Lady, they are always sweeter once they are frightened."

With that he went in for the kill, grabbing Roiben by the throat suddenly and then pressing their bodies together slowly, deliberately. He was looking deep into Roiben's eyes. Roiben tried desperately to think of other things, of his true Queen and her astonishing beauty, of all the blood he had spilled during his short time in the Unseelie Court, counting one by one the deaths he had played a part in. Nephamael's body was like hot metal against him.

"Such a pretty gift..."

Nephamael pressed his lips against Roiben's and he forced himself to keep completely still as his own blood coated his lips. Nephamael's iron circlet grazed his forehead and made him gasp in shock. Laughter burst against Roiben's mouth; either Nephamael was enjoying his pain, his humiliation, or was deluded to think that Roiben had gasped in pleasure. The next time the circlet touched his face he didn't even blink, but the stench of the metal and Nephamael's bloody lips against his almost made him gag. With a forceful twist Roiben's mouth was prized open and Nephamael held him tighter, trying to force his tongue deep down his throat. Now he really was going to be sick. His stomach churned with dread and iron sickness and disbelief. He could feel all the muscles of Nephamael's chest and abdomen against his own, and then he felt something hard against his hip and pushed Nephamael to the ground in panic. His face must have been a picture of disgust because Nicnevin cackled like she had gone mad and clapped her appreciation.

"That was certainly most entertaining!"

Nephamael looked less than pleased and had risen to his feet ready to force Roiben to his will, but Nicnevin had begun ordering servants and courtiers to pack up the remnants of the earlier festivities.

"What a delicious way to end my night."

Roiben closed the door to his rooms and had to restrain himself from breaking the door off the hinges. He had never been so angry, never felt so much despair, and never feared the task ahead of him as much as he feared Nicnevin's plans for the following evening. He sat for a long time in a battered armchair trying to think of other more horrible things he had endured, but nothing compared. Instead he took to bathing his wounds and swilling the blood from his mouth, along with the memory of Nephamael's tongue. Once he felt clean enough he sank down into a comfy old armchair and picked up an ironside book, Oscar Wilde's Picture of Dorian Gray, pondering the old and beaten cover. He wondered bitterly if somewhere there might be another Roiben he was enduring all the pain for.


	2. Chapter 2

As Roiben entered the great hollow hill the next day, he was more than pleased to note that Nephamael was no longer at Nicnevin's side. He felt his whole body unclench and he attempted to hide his relief by busying himself with his sword strap as he approached Nicnevin. He would only be intimidating exiles today he guessed, but had found himself already too distracted.

"I do hope you slept as pleasantly as I did, my pretty knight."

Getting down onto one knee in front of her Roiben tried to keep calm. She was trying to provoke a reaction from him, but he wouldn't give her the satisfaction.

"Quite so, my Queen."

"That is good news, you will need all of your strength when performing your duties today." She crossed one leg elegantly over the other. "I have a special task for you. You must visit Gormlin the merchant and pick up a package he has prepared for you. When you have opened this package you must follow the instructions within. I expect you to return before the sun rises and inform me of your progress; if need be you will continue with your task tomorrow. You may go."

Roiben got to his feet slowly and turned towards the corridor that lead to the surface. What could Nicnevin possibly want him to visit an exiled merchant for?

The building in front of him was grey and dull. The windows were blacked out and there was barbed wire on the flat roof that stretched along it like fencing. It looked as if the industrial estate had been abandoned for years but Roiben knew better. He picked his way across the litter strewn car park and knocked five times on a small fire exit at the back of the building. The door clunked open and he stepped inside, making his way up the dark stairwell towards a yellow light coming from the floor above.

As he reached another door and was about to knock it swung inward too quickly, making him jump. He silently cursed himself for letting his composure slip. Gormlin was sat at the far end of the room hunched over a workbench. He wore a black cloak with a hood that almost completely covered his face, although Roiben caught a glimpse of sharp teeth and green skin.

"You have come for the package." Gormlin said slowly, his voice like crunching gravel.

"Yes."

Gormlin rose from his workbench which Roiben noted was filled with small springs and cogs, as well as a strange looking contraption that glowed in the dim light of the room. Gormlin crossed the room to a large cupboard and opened it, revealing a very small item wrapped in brown paper. He picked it up and seemed to struggle with the weight of it as he carried it toward Roiben. Roiben moved forward to meet him half way.

"Here, take it."

Roiben was surprised at the weight of something so small. He felt his stomach tighten with anticipation and dread. What was it? Pocketing the package he nodded quickly to Gormlin who grunted and turned back to his work. Suddenly the stairwell door swung open of its own accord and unflinching Roiben made his way out and across the car park.

When he was a safe distance away from the building he took the package out of his pocket and examined it closely in the light from the street lamp. There was no message or any other markings on paper and it held together without string. A speeding car went by and Roiben decided to make his way to the more private cluster of trees on his right. Once under the canopy of leaves he leaned against the trunk of a large oak tree and unwrapped the package.

As the layers fell away he held in his hand a small circular device with a chain attached to it. It glinted bright gold in the moonlight and was engraved with vines and leaves. Turning it over he saw a message on the bottom of it and his heart pounded with excitement.

_Don't be a fool_, he scolded himself. _Nicnevin is toying with you. She wants to build you up so she can watch you fail._

Feeling resigned to his fate he read the message:

'To my darling Loren, to keep you always on the right path.'

Puzzled, Roiben turned the gold object over again and in the light from the moon he saw a clasp. He pushed it and the object snapped opened like a clam and glowed faintly. Looking at the glowing glass face inside he suppressed a laugh. It was an old fashioned Ironside pocket watch, of all things. Probably an antique gift. However when he looked closer at the glass face he saw that the watch didn't tell the time - it was a compass.

Whatever did Nicnevin want him to have a compass for? He examined it more closely, hoping that there might be another layer to the compass. He then realised that instead of pointing North the needle pointed South West. But why? And why did the compass glow with a strange yellow light, just as Gormlin's contraption had done?

_He must have modified it somehow. Its pointing to something important._ Roiben thought.

Now convinced that Nicnevin wanted him to follow the compass needle, he walked back onto the street outside the grey building and walked across the road, heading towards whatever Nicnevin had in store for him with a grim expression.

After hours of following the brightly lit compass Roiben was no closer to finding what he was looking for. The compass seemed to change and spin if he didn't keep a close eye on it, and he had spent the first few hours of his search going too far in one direction, only to have to make his way back again. He now consulted the compass after almost every step but still he felt like he was getting no where. He had been along endless roads, through dark fields and busy city streets. People stared at him as he passed; he was almost too beautiful despite the frown that lined his face.

The sky was lightening and he suddenly remembered Nicnevin's command to return to the hollow hill before daybreak. Mentally marking his position so he could start again tomorrow, he closed the compass and felt his whole body tense. Not knowing what Nicnevin had planned he was constantly on edge, ready for a fight or another puzzle or something unimaginably unpleasant.

It was not like her to toy with him this long, however. Perhaps she aimed simply to exhaust him so he would be more willing to give into her? Or maybe she wanted to see him lose control and break down in front of her? He tried desperately to think of other things as he made his way back to the hollow hill. Nicnevin could not win this.

As Roiben entered Nicnevin's hall he straightened his tired posture and walked confidently towards her throne to kneel before her.

"My queen, I have yet to complete my task and ask your forgiveness."

Nicnevin smiled darkly. "I would not have expected you to, my knight. What have you accomplished so far?"

Roiben felt the muscles in his back aching in protest to his position, but he kept perfectly still.

"I have acquired the compass and have been following its instructions for many hours."

"Very good," Nicnevin turned away from him, distracted by courtiers who offered her wine and cakes. "You may go."

Roiben didn't let his surprise register on his face and he straightened casually before he turned away. He crossed the hall, picking past servants who were busy readying a late evening feast. He did not feel like eating in company and he was pleased that Nicnevin had not expected him to remain. He let his shoulders sag with relief as he walked down the empty corridor towards his room. Suddenly he heard a loud shuffling behind him and turned quickly, but he saw no one. Taking a moment to calm himself he carried on down the hall. His mind was playing tricks on him.

Turning down another long corridor he jumped as he felt a hand on his back, and before he could turn he was slammed into the wall. His hands lashed out trying to make contact but he was soon pinned to the wall helplessly with his hands held tightly above his head. He felt a tongue flick his ear and hot breath on his neck.

"Thought you would get away so easily?" All his senses filled with the stench of Nephamael's iron circlet. "I have only a few more evenings here before I return to the Seelie Court, and I'm going to enjoy myself."

He felt a hand wind its way down his waist to rest on his hip. Nephamael squeezed hard as he bit into Roiben's neck. He kept quiet though he struggled in outrage and Nephamael chuckled mercilessly. He was much stronger than Roiben remembered and it seemed he would be no match for the other man.

His mind quickly turned to strategies, like the ones he had played at in the Seelie Court when he had battled his fellows in drawn out games of war. He needed to distract Nephamael, draw his attention away from his hands so he could push himself away.

"Nicnevin wont like you indulging before she does," Roiben said, careful to keep his voice steady as Nephamael licked and tugged at his earlobe. He lowered his voice conspiratorially. "Lets go back to my room. Its just down the corridor."

Nephamael stopped and considered a moment, his grip unconsciously loosening on Roiben's hands. His plan had worked and he threw himself backwards with all his force. The two men staggered into the opposite wall and Roiben spun his hands out of Nephamael's grip. He lunged for Nephamael's neck and caught him. The other mans hands flew to Roiben's hand curled tightly around his neck, trying to pull him away as his feet dangled off the floor. He started to turn pale. Roiben's eyes said all he wanted to express.

Roiben let go and Nephamael dropped to the floor gasping for breath. He drew his sword and pressed it against Nephamael's heart.

"If you kill me," Nephamael wheezed, "Nicnevin will have your head."

_It would be worth it_, Roiben thought bitterly.

He didn't falter and pushed his sword harder against Nephamael's chest until blood pooled through his clothes, though this seemed only to please Nephamael. Finally he drew back and with a quick movement of his hand he knocked Nephamael out cold with the hilt of his sword. His body slumped against the wall and Roiben stared at him for a split second before he walked away without looking back.

He didn't know what Nicnevin would do to him for this, but he hoped that her amusement at Nephamael's defeat would grant him some reprieve. He still didn't know the extent of his new Queen's anger, and for all he knew he was already being punished, being sent on this ridiculous quest. He couldn't help himself let a small smirk spread across his face however, it had felt good to teach Nephamael a lesson, no matter what the consequences.


End file.
